


kiss me, like you wanna be loved

by ZukkaFireTrash



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Camelot's Golden Age, Established Relationship, Ficlet, M/M, Short One Shot, arthur is a good king
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:42:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24726199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZukkaFireTrash/pseuds/ZukkaFireTrash
Summary: Arthur loves Merlin more than anything in the world, all he wants is to show that love and be able to cherish it.Written for the prompt: kisses at night
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 226





	kiss me, like you wanna be loved

The door opened with a fatigued groan which resonated deep within the king as he stared blearily down at the papers littered across his desk. He hadn’t quite realised just how cold and dark the room had become until the fire was prodded into a gentle roar and the dwindling candles flared back to life with an absent flick of the wrist. Arthur dug his fingertips into his temples and gave a deep sigh. 

“It’s well past midnight, I didn’t even expect to find you still awake,” Merlin’s tone was etched with a quiet weariness and he was already making his way around the desk. “What’s this?”

“What have you been up to at this time of night?” Arthur asked instead of replying, still attempting to make sense of the jumbled jargon on the pages.

“This and that,” Merlin hummed. “Since you’ve no ward or wife that the duty falls upon, it's my job to oversee the castle and it's staff. Funnily enough, I actually find managing the castle and being in charge quite fun, at least, it makes for a nice change of pace. But if you really want to know, I was making sure the feast preparations were in order for the arrival of princess Mithian next week, as well as the yule festivities the week after that.”

“I do love it when you talk about servant’s duties.”

“Hmm, I’m sure you do,” Merlin snorted, leaning forward to slip his arms around Arthur from behind. “Now, come on, I told you about my late-night activities, I want to know about yours.”

“Only the usual, decrees, decrees and more decrees,” Arthur replied.

“I assume almost all of them are completely barbaric, outdated and unjust?” Merlin mused, his chin resting on Arthur’s shoulder. Arthur gave a huffed laugh at Merlin’s teasing tone and shifted so he could see the legal papers better. 

“I’m going to have to do more than rewrite a few laws, Merlin,” he murmured. “I’m going to have to create an entirely new legal system. The whole code is  _ full _ of corrupt laws that, half of the time, contradict themselves to benefit the lords and landowners, and the rest of the time condemn the poor to death.”

Merlin stayed silent for a moment, obviously still skimming the papers, before placing them down and shaking his head. “We knew this wasn’t going to be easy when we started this, Arthur.”

“It’s going to take  _ years  _ just to criminalise the most simple injustices!”

Merlin made a sweeping gesture with his hand, and the papers began to sort themselves into neat piles before the King's eyes. Then, his vision was blocked—which was not all that unwelcome—by the warlock himself as Merlin perched on the desk in front of him.

“There’s no point to staring at all of this until your eyes bleed, Arthur,” Merlin said quietly, reaching out to brush Arthur’s hair from his face. 

He smoothed his thumb over the worry-lines on his King’s face and traced down his jaw, lips quirking when he noticed the shadow of usually shaved stubble. Merlin allowed his hand to rest on Arthur’s chest, right palm flat over his heart, as the other hand cupped his cheek. 

“Come to bed.”

Arthur leant into the touch, eyes fluttering shut, and for a moment he seemed content. Since being crowned King and learning of his uncle's betrayal, the wrongs he’d been taught about magic and Merlin’s own abilities, Arthur had been looking hollow-cheeked and more drawn each day. Now, however, he simply looked at peace and, altogether, much younger than his years.

Slowly, he tilted his head and lay a gentle kiss upon Merlin’s hand before allowing his eyes to open and gaze drowsily up at his lover. “There are still things I need to finalise before the morning. Council convenes first-thing—”

_ “Arthur,” _ Merlin pleaded, his blue eyes wide and entreating.

_ “Mer _ lin,” Arthur countered. 

After a moment's silence, and with neither of them yielding, Arthur placed his own hand over the one resting against his cheek and drew it in front of him. 

“I don’t want to wait any longer than we already have, Merlin. Damn these prejudice laws, damn the idea that a King cannot marry for love, only for convenience and political gain. I love you, Merlin, I  _ adore _ you, and I will not rest until I am allowed to take you as my husband and be yours in return.” 

A look of stark devotion shone in Merlin’s eyes, and before the movement could be anticipated he was surging forwards. His hands came to tangle in Arthur’s hair and his knees rested either side of Arthur’s thighs as he placed himself in the king’s lap. He pressed their lips together in a tender kiss. It was slow and deliberate, filled with all the love he’d felt over the years. Their lips brushed delicately, like the beat of a butterfly's wings, lasting just long enough to breathe each other in before Merlin was pulling away.

“I love you more than life itself, Arthur, but you have to be  _ alive  _ to be my husband. You need to sleep,” Merlin breathed against Arthur’s lips, shifting to scatter kisses across his jawline. “Now leave this until morning and take me to bed. Show me just how much you want to  _ take me as your husband.” _

Merlin’s tone was teasing, and a laugh could be heard in his words, but Arthur knew he was right. He was always right. Arthur drew Merlin flush against him and locked his arms around Merlin’s waist, before hefting him up and walking him towards the bed. They laughed and chuckled, exchanging kisses and stopping at least twice to snog against a wall, before Arthur managed to toss Merlin onto the bed. 

“You’re ridiculous,” he muttered, divesting himself of his shirt and boots before crawling onto the linens above his lover. 

“And you’re a prat,” Merlin replied, already stripped down to his smalls. “Hurry up and kiss me, you brute.”

“Not sure I will if you talk to me like that,” Arthur tutted, though his threat was obviously an empty one as he was already peppering Merlin’s neck with kisses. 

“Have it your way then, I’ll just go back to my room—” Merlin made to move out from underneath the King, only to be halted by a growl.

“Don’t you dare,” Arthur warned, trapping Merlin’s wrists above his head and tilting down to kiss him thoroughly.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Merlin replied breathlessly a moment later. 

They stayed like that for the longest time, either they hadn’t noticed the chamber curtains were still drawn, or they quite liked the streaks of starlight that shone through the room. Arthur would’ve only admitted the latter to himself, perhaps Merlin too, if he was feeling particularly romantic. They kissed and tangled together well into the night, and as Merlin finally drifted to sleep, Arthur traced patterns into his side, trailing light fingertips through his dark hair and over his cheekbones, watching as his chest rose and fell with life. Arthur couldn’t wait to vow to love this man for the rest of his life for everyone else to see. He knew that he was wholeheartedly devoted to Merlin but he needed his friends, his people, his kingdom to respect him too. And they would.

Whether it took months or years, he would make it so. 

Merlin would be more than his manservant in the eyes of others, he would be their monarch, Arthur’s love. Court Sorcerer. No matter how Merling denied the idea of a title, Arthur would fight tooth and nail to have his beautiful, wonderful, amazing warlock seen for who he was. Arthur’s equal.

The King leant forward and brushed a final kiss to Merlin’s lips, before resting their foreheads together and allowing sleep to overtake him. He’d resume his battle with the rest of the world in the morning. For now, he’d treasure and cherish Merlin as much as he could.


End file.
